Unresolved Resentments
by sapphire espeon
Summary: One fallback after another. Things weren't going to plan. Will Ash and Misty be able to rectify this? AAMR.
1. Reflections And Actions

**Unresolved Resentments**

**By ~Sapphire Espeon~**

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_Author Note: This is my first attempt at fanfiction. Pokemon belongs to Satoshi Tajiri and Nintendo._

_I have decided to edit and revise my old works before moving on to new material. Whilst far from being masterpieces, my aim is to improve the readability, flow and content of each story. _

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**Chapter 1**

**Reflections And Actions**

Ash sat on the front porch, staring thoughtfully up at the cloud-filled sky. He was home alone, his mother at work. Brock had returned to the gym to take care of it since his father had passed away, and there was no one else old enough to keep it open. Misty had left the previous day, without a reason. Just packed up and left, no note, nothing. Ash was immensely bored, and had nothing left to do. The holidays had been extremely uneventful, with the news that there was to be no pokemon league competition this year due to arson at its headquarters. This left him no reason to train his pokemon every day as he usually did. Pikachu, his trusted (and very cute) pokemon, was sitting silently by his side, accompanying the dark haired trainer. Ash hated the long three-month trainer's holiday that was looming ahead of him. Ok, so it had only been two days since it started, but there was nothing to do. Fat raindrops fell from the heavens, darkening the earth with their watery properties.

There was no reason to enjoy life anymore. Everything he enjoyed or cared about had left him all alone…including Misty. Why did she have to leave, just like that? His face was tinged red just at the thought of the girl he had known for five years. She had always been there, never once left his side, nor he hers, until the recent time of yesterday. _She probably misses her family_, he thought, _but why didn't she tell me? Why?_

Unrealising, tears streamed down his face, mixing with the rainwater. Honestly, what is wrong with me? Even pokemon has lost its appeal. It was just no fun anymore; there was no challenge, his inspiration gone, perhaps forever. The ever-darkening clouds continued to loom overhead, renewing the world with water. Slowly standing up, with a saddened heart Ash sauntered up the stairs to his room. Was this what it was like to have a breakdown? Was it? One word continuously echoed through his mind, seemingly invading every thought and emotion…..Misty……Misty……Misty……

*

The world was at an end, as far as Misty was concerned. The gym was falling in to disrepair, her sisters never acknowledged her existence, and the only thing important to her was gone. Ash. She thought back to the previous day when she had left. Although her heart had told her not to go, she ignored her heart and listened to her head. The ominous sound of thunder could be heard in the distance, like small explosions.

_I am such an idiot! Why did I leave?_ She knew the answer to that. Insecurity. She was feeling all alone, excluded; the world was against her. Even Ash seemed to be ignoring her, cutting himself off from most things, even his pokemon training. There had to be something that was interfering with his life. But what was it? Was it her? Was it something her fierce tongue had let her say? Her temper was enough to make anyone hold a grudge against her – her sisters were a prime example. She had lashed out with her harsh words, and now she was going to be infinitely ignored because of it. She had tried numerous times to apologize, but it hadn't helped her in the least. _I would give anything just to see him again…_ she thought. But it would be no use. The past can't be changed. If only it could. If only life gave you second chances. But the world didn't work like that. Life threw mistakes back in your face, and there was not a thing she could do about it.

*

Ash paced the living room, bored out of his mind. What should he do? Write a letter; phone her, visit in person? The latter seemed to be the best and only option. So that's what he decided. Ash Ketchum packed, scrawled his mum a note, and left Pallet Town with his pokemon for company, Pikachu perched on his shoulder. He knew it would take forever to get to Cerulean City, Perhaps more than a week. He was prepared to take the journey, and the challenge.

Trudging through the bone-chilling rain, he began his journey - remembering the day he had set out on his pokemon adventure, a little over five years ago, and the day he met Misty. Well, they hadn't hit it off, to say the least, but over the days, months, and years, they grew to be closer than ever, seemingly almost inseparable. Poor Brock was still desperate as ever, and still hadn't found the right girlfriend, but still, he continued to tag along, many times unnoticed and ignored. Maybe that's whey he and Ash weren't very good friends anymore…but that wasn't important, not right now. Ash pulled out the tattered map of Kanto, a fond memory of his pokemon journeys; always getting lost from numerous wrong turns taken in forests and caves. A faint smile crossed his lips as he thought about the wonderful memories he had. He still had the GS ball, and still wondered of what it held. Maybe soon he would find out. His mind once again drifting, he carried on through the woods, even with his bad sense of direction, knowing the way he had to go.

*

Misty, on the other hand, was curled up on her bed, sobbing, crying at her regrets of what she had and hadn't said. It was too much, she had to get out of here. This life of confinement wasn't for her, for the invisible chains that were her duty to the gym bound her from freedom, and from being her true self. In battles, she always found herself being beaten, always with ease. _I want to catch some new pokemon,_ she thought. _Training's just no challenge anymore. _Crying herself to sleep, she dreamed of all the water pokemon she hadn't caught, and of where she had to go to reach her destiny….to pallet town, where Ash was.

The next dawn, she was sure of that she had to do. Her mouth set in a determined line, she walked down to the huge kitchen, and called Aqua, a friend from Cerulean. Aqua answered, in a cheerful tone. "Misty!!" "It's been so long! How have you been?" "I'm fine" came the monotone reply. "Look, Aqua, I need to ask you a huge favour… could you cover at the gym for me? I have unfinished business I have to attend to, and I need someone to run things while I'm gone. So how about it?"

There was a pause, and then a loud scream. "Really? I would be SO honoured….thank you Misty, this is more than I ever dreamed of……"

As soon as Misty hung up the phone, she felt an unbelievable sense of relief. It was great to finally have some time to herself, instead of being bossed around by her elder sisters. Sprinting up the stairs, she grabbed her familiar red rucksack and packed for the journey ahead, scribbled a note, and left her childhood home…although it didn't seem much like a home to her. She took long, quick strides; supposedly knowing that every step she took brought her that little bit closer to Ash. It was nearing noon, and the sun was glaring down from the sky overhead. She didn't remember the way to pallet town very clearly, and as a result she was soon quite disoriented.

*

Ash, on the other hand, was also lost in direction, in the forest between Pallet Town and Viridian City. How he hated the heat! Ash would have loved to stop for a swim in the river nearby, but his determination made him press on. If he kept going, he would get to see Misty sooner…and that was more important than anything else at the moment. On he continued, passing many pokemon that he would have liked to catch, ignoring them.

Later…..

Ash had finally had enough for one day. He couldn't believe he had made it all the way to Viridian City already! He checked in at the pokemon center, and crashed on his bed. Soon, he was snoring peacefully, his mind filled with swirling thoughts of what lay ahead.

Misty had had enough. She was sick of it. It was so hard to go on! She had encountered more bugs in the past day than in her entire life, including numerous caterpies, weedles, ledybas and beedrills. What she went through for Ash…it was enough to make any one who hated bugs want to curl up and die. And she _hated_ Bugs. Stumbling through the undergrowth, vines tripped her, seemingly snatching at her legs. By the time she made it to a clearing, she was covered in scratches. "_As much as I love water pokemon, they won't help me out here," _The redhead thought. Maybe it was time to actually catch a real pokemon. If it was a bug type, maybe she could impress Ash by overcoming her fear of them…"_Shuckles are part bug, and they're cute too!" _Her mind weighed up the situation. "_But there's no shuckle here, and they are hopelessly weak in any case…" _This was gong nowhere, so on she trekked, hoping to finally meet Ash and tell him the truth about her feelings.

*

Ash, on the other hand, had just left the pokemon centre, and was also in a bit of difficulty. He was not very coordinated, to put it nicely. The fact that there were many fallen branches and obstacles on the path hindered his journey to Cerulean. His thoughts drifted…he was frustrated! The things he did for Misty…but hell, she was worth it. Stubbing his toe on a fallen tree branch, he lost his balance, and cursing, hit the ground, autumn leaves swirling around him.

"_I knew I should've taken the other route. It probably would've been quicker!" _Oh well, no turning back now. He had already trudged 15 km from home, and it had taken him forever, damn it!

Under his breath, he hummed snatches of a song, unsure where he knew it from….

_Under the swaying trees_

_Blows the calm gentle breeze_

_Should be there now_

_The way is lost_

_For ever in time,_

_Your love will be mine_

_Your love will be mine…_

That song, it seemed uncannily familiar to him…he had no idea why, though. It danced at the back of his mind; it was like trying to remember a dream. Shaking his head, he attempted to rid his mind of it, but to no avail.

He rose to his feet, and trudged on, whistling the mysterious tune.

*

Well, there's chapter one finished. Stay tuned for chapter two. Thank you to all who have read and reviewed!

~Sapphire Espeon~


	2. Secrets And Indecisions

**Unresolved Resentments**

**By ~Sapphire Espeon~**

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_Author Note: This is my first attempt at fanfiction. Pokemon belongs to Satoshi Tajiri and Nintendo._

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**Chapter 2**

**Secrets and Indecision**

Ash arrived at a small lake…the lake where he had met Misty. It looked different, somehow. The reeds had grown taller and thicker, and hid the lake from view, like a secret haven. The only reason he had found it was by almost walking into it! Ash sat down on a rotting log, covered in damp green moss. Pikachu popped his head out of Ash's Backpack and stood in front of his trainer, eyes pleading for food. Ash rummaged around in the dark depths of his bag for some pokechow, ketchup, and a plastic plate to put it on. He drowned the pokechow in ketchup, and set it down in front of Pikachu, who munched happily for a while. Ash grabbed his fishing rod, and cast the line into the still blue pool of water. It was a pastime that he had acquired from Misty. He mostly found it frustrating, but at times it was calming. Almost instantly, the line snagged on a catch! He reeled it in eagerly, and dragged the "fish" onto the shore…but it turned out to be an old, brown shoe. Just his luck. Come to think of it…it almost looked like some shoe Brock would wear, with his not-so-hip sense of fashion.

*

Flashback:

_It was a scorching hot day, grass practically burnt by the scalding sun. The trio lazily dozed in the shade. All at once, Ash was hit with a cold jet of water. He stood up, wet and spluttering, to find Misty with her Starmie. Well if she wanted a water fight, she was going to get one! Tossing the crimson pokeball so it reflected the sunlight, he called on Squirtle, the water turtle pokemon. Retaliating, he ordered Squirtle to fire a water gun back. The fight went on for almost an hour, At the end, all were soaked, even Brock, who couldn't really do much to fight without a water pokemon. Misty's ponytail was plastered to her neck, Ash emptied his sodden shoe of water, and Brock was (apparently) wiping the water out of his eyes. It had been great, a chance to let go from all the tension and stress of pokemon training, and just have plain fun. Ash had vowed to Misty to get revenge when she was least expecting it._

_The three lay down to rest in the dappled shade, but Ash was cooking up a plan. Whispering, he called squirtle over to him and whispered "water gun!" to the turtle. A sodden Misty glared at Ash, then smiled. It was only for fun after all. It was hard to stay mad at Ash, there was just something about him that made her forget why she was angry. Maybe it was those chocolate brown eyes, or the teasing smile he always seemed to wear. She smiled back, wondering how she could ever have been mad at him._

*

Meanwhile, a redhead girl dropped her bag on a smooth, low rock, not far from where a certain trainer with a pokemon league cap sat, unaware of her presence, nor she his. She placed Togepi into a pokeball, and dragged out the good rod she owned. She really wanted to catch a marril, but they were hard to find. Marrils and Azumarrils were just too cute! Misty sat there daydreaming about all the water pokemon she wanted to catch, and was suddenly snapped back to reality by a tug on her fishing rod. She reeled it in, only to find on the line…no bait! What bad luck…

Ash was shocked at the pull on his rod. He had been sitting here for three hours, hoping for a bite The golden sun blazed down on the earth below, scorching the grass. Suddenly he saw the water ripple. A roundish blue tail bobbed above the water. This was it! Finally! "Pikachu, thunder shock!" He quietly whispered to his pokemon companion. The small mouse obeyed.

A few seconds later he saw two small ears, followed by little beady eyes and a cute button nose. It was a Marril! "Pokeball, GO!" he shouted, and threw the little red and white ball at the water mouse. It closed around the creature, and bounced onto the shore, glowing. Once, twice…CAUGHT! He added his catch of the day to his belt studded with pokeballs, and cast the line one last time. But this catch would give him the shock of his life, little did he know…

*

Misty was about to give up. She had almost used all the mini misty lures she owned, and each one had mysteriously disappeared. She was down to the last one. Hooking it on to the rod, she threw the line into the water. Praying for something…anything! There was a tug on the rod. Something moved beneath the cool, clear, glassy surface of the water. She reeled it in with renewed energy. It was a…a…fishing hook attached to a line! How could this be? The force seemed to be coming from somewhere near her fishing spot. She untangled the nightmare of a knot, stood up, and retrieved her mallet from her bag. Stepping slowly, quiet as a mouse, mallet raised, she came to the edge of the rock, and continued on…and on. A few minutes later, she came upon the surprise of a lifetime…… For who should be sitting there near the lake, but Ash.

Ash peered up from under his battered, dirty, and worn cap to see…"Misty! what are you doing here?"

"How…how…when…wa!" he stuttered. _Great_ he thought. _Now I'm stuttering like an idiot" "Get a grip Ketchum! Ok, now…I am Ash, and that is Misty._ _Ok. Now what? What do I say? Think, Ash, think!_ Before his brain had registered these thoughts properly, Misty spoke. "Ash! Why are you here?" She paused, thoughtful for a moment, composing herself. She sat down next to him. She looked into his face. _God, those gorgeous eyes of his make my heart melt…sigh But I have to find out is he feels the same way or not. I hope so with all my heart._

"Uh, Misty?" Ash mumbled, suddenly feeling embarrassed and shy, very un-Ash like qualities.

"I…I…Icaughtapokemonanditsamarrilandyoucanhaveitifyouwantbecauseyousaidyoualwayswantedamarril." he blurted out. He felt like such an idiot. He wanted the lake to swallow him up. He placed the pokeball with shaking fingers on the rock, looking at his feet the whole time.

*

_He likes me! He likes me!_ Misty felt like jumping for joy._ If it's a dream, please let me never wake up… _She reached for the shiny red and white ball, and took it in her hand. "Marril go!" She shouted and sure enough, a little blue mouse appeared, ears alert, and button eyes shimmering. "AWWWWWWW!" "Its soooooooooooooooooooooooo cute!" The water mouse ran to her and she patted its head. The marril squeaked happily, and then jumped back into the pokeball with a swish of its tail. Ash smiled, glad that he had made her happy. Unexpectedly, in the rush of the moment, Misty walked up to Ash and gave him a quick hug. She then blushed crimson, and stood there looking embarrassed. Ash was inwardly happy, but he couldn't show her. He hadn't even had the guts to tell her how he felt…yet. He didn't want to make the mistake of his life…

*

The water rippled in the background, a soothing melody. The aroma of instant curry wafted up from the pot simmering on the fire. It was the one meal Ash could cook. Day after day, curry after curry…Ash managed to lift the large collapsible pot from the blazing fire onto the soft grass without spilling much. Above, stars were sprinkled across the sky, glowing orbs of light in the distance. The moon was whole, emitting a soft glowing aurora.

Ash slurped up the curry with amazing speed (and lack of amazing manners) while Misty daintily ate with a plastic spoon. _"Quite a contrast" _She thought. She didn't mind though. She was used to it, after all, she had traveled with him for a while now. The curry wasn't too bad, either. She put down her plate and gazed at the vast sky. It was a dazzling sight to behold, an unknown universe beyond the realms of imagination. She dragged out her sleeping bag, and placed it beside Ash's, though it was impossible to sleep. She needed to know the truth. It was then she decided that she would tell Ash she loved him. She crawled out of her sleeping bag, and walked over to Ash, bare feet making no noise on the soft grass.

*

Ash was sitting silently on a tree stump, gazing wistfully into the blazing fire. She was always on his mind, never leaving it. It was almost more then he could bear, being with her. Yet he was torn between their friendship and the repercussions of what would happen if he told her how he felt. He wanted to open up to her, with all his heart. But he couldn't. It was too much of a risk. _What if she said no? Would she left again? Or would we just go on in awkward silence?_ He could bear the thought of neither occurring.

Misty's silhouette appeared from amongst the flickering shadows cast by the fire. "Ash?" She asked, though her voice came out almost as a whisper. Uh…I just wanted to say…I….I…

The words wouldn't come out. She couldn't do it. She was then cut off by a sudden "Wahhh!" from Ash who yelped as he toppled off the tree stump and landed just millimetres from the fire, his clothes singed by the blazing heat.

"Huh..Ash?" came the startled reply from Misty. She sprinted over to him and tapped his shoulder to see if he was ok. A mumbled "I'm fine" was his reply. She doused the fire and sat down next to him. Pikachu and Togepi were nowhere to be seen. So much for loyalty.

*

Misty grabbed Ash's sleeping bag and ordered him to climb in. He was still dazed from the shock, and was not thinking logically. He was practically a kid, after all. One day he was nine and his mom still tucked him in at night, the next day he was ten and had to fend for himself from that day forward. The years had slowly inched along and passed, but even at almost twelve, he still seemed as young and delicate as a two-year old. She grabbed a cloth, dampened it with water from the raging river and draped it on his forehead, and then curled up in a ball and promptly fell asleep on Ash's Shoulder.

The next morning Ash awoke to the soft chirruping of Togepi and the concerned "pika pika" of his trusted and loyal electric companion. There was a dead weight on his shoulder. It was Misty. She was still sleeping, so he just lay there in the morning dusk, thinking. He wished he knew what she was going to say last night. There was something about the way she had spoke. It was getting to be awkward being around Misty. He found it hard to explain, but knew something had changed. It wasn't the same anymore, they didn't even squabble; it was then he realized that there was definitely something amiss. These snatches of thought lay in shadows at the back of his mind, shrouded in mystery, like a locked door that would not open without a key. He fell into a restless sleep once again.

*

Misty's eyes fluttered open, and for a second she was disoriented. She then took in her surroundings: trees, lake, pikachu, togepi and…Ash. She hastily stretched and stood up, hair a tangled mess. She hoped Ash hadn't realized that she had been there all the time he was unwell, life was just getting more and more confusing. She scurried back to her sleeping bag and curled up in a ball, hoping that she wasn't fighting for a lost cause, she had lost the perfect chance last night, and now couldn't gather up the courage required to tell him.

*

And that's the end of chapter two. Stay tuned for chapter three. Thank you to all who have read and reviewed!

~Sapphire Espeon~


	3. Breaking Point

**Unresolved Resentments**

**By ~Sapphire Espeon~**

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_Author Note: This is my first attempt at fanfiction. Pokemon belongs to Satoshi Tajiri and Nintendo._

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**Chapter 3**

**Breaking Point**

The sun was high above them in the sky, radiating warm rays of light onto the earth below. The duo trudged along in an awkward silence, step after step through the maze of forest. An Oddish hopped by. A pidgey glided overhead. But neither of the two noticed, they were so wrapped up in their own thoughts. The forest whispered it's haunting tune, but neither listened nor heard.

Misty trudged alongside Ash in high spirits, inside cheerful, although she outwardly put on the facade that she was tired and frustrated. The silence soon dissipated, as she accused Ash of not having a sense of direction, and he retorted back laughingly that maybe she should lead the way through the forest. Misty agreed, and even though she knew she was just as likely as Ash to get them lost, accepted the challenge.

After walking around in circles for almost an hour, they came to a large tree, its emerald leaves billowing in the soft breeze. They sat under its branches, grateful for the dappled shade. Misty opened her bag to look for some food, but found nothing. It was probably stolen by a Rattata when she had left it on the ground last night. So she sat there, disappointed and starving, cradling Togepi in her arms. Ash, feeling almost as if it was his fault, handed her a sandwich. For a moment, he hesitated, then gave it to her. Their fingers touched, and both, startled, skittered back, the memory of the moment still fresh in their minds. Misty hastily ate her lunch so she wouldn't have to say anything, while Ash sat there for a while, gazing into oblivion, wondering about what had happened.

*

Misty was deep in silent thought. She gazed up at Ash, and started to speak, and then suddenly changed her mind again. Ash asked what she was going to say, and she simply replied, "Nothing…" He knew there was something she wanted to say, but when she would say it was not up to him. Her eyes softened, and she smiled at Ash, not wanting her burden to become his too. She _would_ tell him, one day, but her love for him was hidden deep behind her nervousness and fear on the unknown.

The days passed, each one melting into the next. Hot, balmy breezes became torrential rainstorms. It had been a short yet tense week. Both had previously decided that it was time they had a break from the stress and demand of pokemon training, and would return to Pallet Town, the closest destination. They needed to relax and have some fun. The tension and stress between the two was at breaking point, though neither was fully aware of this. They both cared for each other, yet continued to bicker, fight and argue to cover up their feelings, pretending that nothing had changed.

*

They were reaching the border of Viridian city, and far in the distance, could see the large shadow of Ash's hometown looming overhead, beckoning to the two enticingly. Ash would never see Pallet Town as being anything but welcoming, for it was here that he could find reprieve from the demands of life. Misty was enthralled to see the sleepy town as well, and together, they bounded down the slope that would lead them both to a place that signified home. Misty felt more at ease residing within Ash's humble residence than she ever had at her childhood home in Cerulean. Pallet Town was the one true place she could be happy. She thought she had brought the punishment on herself, but it was not the truth. Her sisters had been the true reason why she felt guilt, even though she had done nothing wrong.

Pikachu was clasping on to Ash's hat for dear life, almost about to fall off after the dash. Ash saw his mum in the garden, watering the plants, Mr Mime was mowing the lawns. He ran up to her and was immediately enveloped in a warm, welcoming hug. Delilah greeted Misty, and she waved and smiled to the kind, gentle lady. She wished that Ash would love her like that, not just see her as the friend who wanted her bike back. She didn't even give a damn about the bike anymore! That was the least of her worries…

Misty was beginning to feel depressed. She had no family who loved her, she had no one. Ash wouldn't understand. He had people who cared about him.

She had nothing. Her feet willed her over to the large shady tree by the stream, entirely enveloped in her thoughts. She wished she wasn't all alone in this vast world. Tears trailed down her face, her eyes liquid sadness. She sat down in the cool shade of a towering tree, huddled in a ball. Misty was quite sure it was a mistake coming after Ash; she was only a tagalong, a black sheep. There seemed no point.

*

Ash, however, had noticed Misty's sudden disappearance, and even though it had only been about five minutes, he was worried about her. Night was falling, and the light was fading fast. It had taken longer then expected to get back to Pallet. Or maybe it was the ominous grey clouds gathering quickly overhead. He snuck out the front door, on his way to find Misty. He didn't bother telling his mother where he was going, he _was_ a pokemon trainer after all. Off he went, wearing his raincoat.

Misty was now wandering far from where Ash was, drenched by the rain, and lost in the sorrow of her thoughts. She was shivering because of the cold, and the rain didn't help much either. She stopped; she couldn't go on. Huddling under the shelter of a tree hollow, Misty sat and cried her heart out; her tough exterior forgotten. She hated the way she had to pretend, not just to Ash, but to all she met. Misty acted proud and haughty, yet beneath that she was shy and quiet. The reason for this was because it was the only way she felt able to survive. Surprised at how quickly Ash had come to accept her, Misty wondered if it was it because he had no choice, or for another reason altogether…

*

It was almost eight o clock, and night had definitely fallen. Ash however, refused to turn back. He had been searching for almost an hour. The light of the torch he had brought along was weakly flickering in the dark; soon it would go out, and the night would be his enemy. The storm was as fierce as ever, the thunder deafening. Ash listened carefully to every sound, hoping it was Misty, but it never was. He wanted to give up, but somehow he kept going on and on. _I just have to find her, I have to!_ Lightning illuminated the earth, tingeing it a ghostly purple hue. In the distance the sound of a tree splintering could be heard. "Misty!" Ash cried, sure he would hear her voice. But the only sound that he heard was the shout of his own shaking one. Running blindly through the earthly maze toward the fallen tree, he found Misty huddled in a hollow of a tree, which reassembled a small cave. Her face was streaked with mud and tears. Ash had never seen her like this before, he felt guilt, even if it wasn't his fault. Or maybe it was… Kneeling down beside her, Ash took off his raincoat, and draped it over Misty's shoulders. Her smile was grateful, and said more to him then words ever could. They stayed with together through the storm, until the first rays of light crept through the clouds the next day. Together, the duo walked back, hand in hand, to Ash's house, and a waiting, angry Delilah.

*

"Where have you _been?" _she practically shrieked to Misty. "You, you put both yourself and my Ash, my only son in danger! How _could_ you!" Ash was annoyed at the way his mother was acting, she was being be so selfish! It was like he still was a little kid, and he _wasn't!_ "Mother, look!" He said in a firm, controlled voice. "Misty didn't make me go anywhere, she _left_ and I went to _look_ for her!" He blushed slightly at his outburst, partly from practically saying he was worried about Misty, partly from the humiliation he had to endure.

Misty quietly interrupted. "It was my fault Mrs Ketchum. I went out for a walk, got lost, and Ash came to find me. I'm sorry."

Ash's mum smiled sweetly. She never seemed to stay mad for long. "I'm just glad you're both ok." She looked relieved that neither of them were hurt. Misty was like a daughter to her. She would have blamed herself if anything had happened to her or Ash. "Go and get some sleep now, you need your rest. Goodnight." She turned on her heel and walked out of the room. Ash and Misty stumbled sleepily up the stairs to Ash's room. Ash crawled under the comfy sheets of his bed, Misty into her sleeping bag on the floor. "Ash?" Misty whispered, "yeah?" replied the black-haired, brown-eyed boy. "Thanks…for everything." "It's ok, don't worry about it" Ash assured her. "I wouldn't have let you stay out there on your own Misty. You know that." Misty's eyes glimmered with tears of gratefulness, but she turned her head so Ash wouldn't see. Maybe…maybe he did like her. He wouldn't come out in a raging storm to save her if he hated her, would he? That thought set her mind at ease. She was extremely worn out from the ordeal. They whispered goodnight to each other and drifted into a dreamful sleep.

*

Meanwhile, Delilah sat downstairs, thinking, in the dim glow of the light from the lamp sitting on the ornate mahogany table. She knew something had changed, Ash and Misty had always been good friends (well, except in the beginning.) But now it was different. She thought she knew what was going on, but she wasn't going to interfere with Ash's life. He had to follow his own path, not the one she wanted him to follow. But how much could a nudge in the right direction hurt? Surely not much, if at all.

Ash awoke with a start, not sure of why. He gazed over toward the window, at Misty's sleeping figure, so pretty. She as like a totally different person when she was asleep. Dainty, like a princess. Her orange hair was draped across her pillow, her eyes closed, and breathing even. Ash lay there for ages, watching the girl sleep. He so wanted to tell her, but courage was hard to find. He whispered to the sleeping figure, "I love you Misty…" She stirred, and then returned to sleep. Ash was worried she had heard him. But she couldn't have…could she?

*

_Misty dreamed, she was sitting on the tussocked grass near the beach, the sand between her toes, sea-blue waves breaking in the distance. Someone was beside her…he looked intensely familiar…..Ash. His jet-black hair was being tousled by the breeze, and he wore an expression of nervousness. The boy opened his mouth to speak. "Misty, I love you…" he said. Before disappearing with a smile._

_*_

And that's the end of chapter three. Stay tuned for chapter four. Thank you to all who have read and reviewed!

~Sapphire Espeon~


	4. Pain

**Unresolved Resentments**

**By ~Sapphire Espeon~**

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_Author Note: This is my first attempt at fanfiction. Pokemon belongs to Satoshi Tajiri and Nintendo._

Italics signify dreaming/flashbacks.

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**Chapter 4**

**Pain**

Misty was peacefully dreaming…a memory?

_Aged six, she sat in a field of flowers, surrounded by all kinds of pokemon. It was a breathtaking sight, it really was. She ran as quickly as she could towards a Starmie, which had been her first pokemon. A shadow blocked her way. "No Misty, you are too young. You can't have it. You couldn't look after it properly."_

The dream world faded to grey, another piece of her past…

_Aged three, she watchind her sisters have a water fight. "Can I play too?" The shy girl questioned, her voice just above a whisper. "No Misty, you aren't old enough! When you're bigger". Her sisters chanted together. _

Grey again.

_This time it was a photo, old and faded with age. Her three sisters at their fist aquatic gala performance. They were smiling brightly at the camera, yet only children themselves; five years old. Only one year their junior, she sat in the shadows, away from the camera, crying softly. _

Shadows swirled.

_Misty was now in the woods, with Ash. It had been several months since she had decided to run away from home, and soon after she had befriended (gradually) the boy who now sat beside her. Yet feelings of more than friendship were straining to break free.._

_His black, unruly hair framed his face, covered by an all too familiar cap. Ash's childish smile lit up his face. The bike long forgotten, she smiled back. His eyes were full of warmth and happiness, which radiated from him. Misty didn't know why he was smiling, she couldn't remember. She just remembered the resulting happiness she had felt. The sapphire-eyed girl for a brief few moments let her facade down, before remembering that this was not her, she could not fall for this boy. He didn't care for her like that. They were destined just to be friends. Just before Misty woke with a start, one word, unusually clear, invaded her dreams:_

…_Soulmates._

*

Ash lay in his bed, drifting slowly to the world of sleep. He usually didn't have strange dreams. But tonight was different. The black of sleep welcomed him almost instantly.

A memory of his past haunted Ash's sleeping thoughts.

_He was three, still a pudgy cute baby, a rattle clenched in his tiny fist. A distance away, voices were shouting…loudly. One was very familiar; he had heard it practically every day of his life. The other one seemed…foreign, he was not sure whom it belonged to…some stranger maybe? _

_Ash heard snatches of conversation. "Delilah, I can't stay, I must leave, and it's in Ash's best interest that I do, while he's still young! If I don't, it will only cause more pain for him when he's older!" Next he heard a woman's crying, silent sobs from his mother. The man, who was tall, tanned and dark- haired, turned and left the Ketchum family forever. _

The vision of the past faded, and time passed. He was five, and sitting at the table with his mother.

"_Mummy, where's daddy?" A small voice asked out of the blue. "He went on a pokemon journey" the mother replied coldly, "and he won't be coming back." "Ever."_

_Swirling grey prevailed on once again; this time he was four, and sitting in a sandbox, building a castle. Gary stood towering over Ash, a smug look on his malicious face. Within seconds, the sandcastle was no more, and Ash was in tears. "Poor Ash. What a baby!" Gary laughed and walked off, singing to himself, "Ash is a wimp, Ash is a wimp…" Over and over again._

One last memory, vague as yesterday, came to him. It was of Misty.

_She was smiling, at the eleven year old boy, something she did rarely. Her eyes seemed to have softened, they were not guarded and cold - but warm and happy; her smile was glad. Misty's auburn hair reflected the rays of the sun, shining in the radiant light. One word stood out in his mind, it was a strange one:_

…_Soulmates._

_*_

The next day, both awoke, their minds filled with memories of their dreams, vivid and seemingly real. Neither could make out the meanings of it, but each found themselves thinking about it throughout the day.

At breakfast, a delicious combination of pancakes and orange juice, neither spoke much with the exception of Delilah, aka the matchmaker. She had made it her mission to bring them closer to becoming a couple. Now certain that each liked the other, her conclusion was reinforced throughout breakfast. Each cast glances at the other, then quickly blushed, looking down at the provided plates of food (both largely untouched).

"So what are your plans for today?" she innocently asked the two. Two replies came simultaneously. "Catch more pokemon!" and "shopping!" "_Uh-oh," _worried Delilah _"This has disaster written all over it" _Meanwhile, Ash and Misty were having a glaring contest, each waiting for the other to give in. "What about," Delilah suggested, "Go catch pokemon for the morning, and then go shopping in the afternoon?"

"No!" Misty argued" "shopping first!"

"Pokemon!"

"Shopping!"

"Pokemon!"

"Shopping!"

"Pokemon!"

"ENOUGH!" Delilah screeched. This seemed like a more of a problem than she had thought. "Are you sure that there's not an easier way settle this?"

"Not really." Replied Ash suddenly. "Only if Misty wasn't so damn stubborn!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"AM NOT AM NOT AM NOT!"

ARE TOO ARE TOO ARE TOO!"

Delilah sighed. This was like watching a tennis match. She had had enough. "Alright! Misty, Here's a coin. Maybe now you can reach an agreement."

Misty smiled gratefully. "Thank you"

Ash meanwhile, was looking extremely confused. "Mu-uum, That isn't fair! How come she gets to drag _me _shopping!?!"?

Misty was fed up. "ASH! Get it into your silly little head already! We're gonna flip a coin and the winner chooses what to do…. Geez, I knew you were stupid, but not this much! Man, you can be _such _an idiot sometimes!"

Even before the words came out of her mouth, she knew she had gone too far. Ash abruptly stood up, and stalked from the room in a huff. She was sure she could see tears glistening in his eyes. "_Ash…cry?" __Maybe I_ _was_ _a little too harsh on him_… She gazed forlornly at her now cold breakfast. What had she _done?_ Stupid, stupid, stupid!

"Look" Delilah piped up. "Maybe you should go and apologise to him. I know it was partly his fault, but you didn't help the situation exactly…" Her voice trailed off, and silence prevailed once again. It really had been a stupid thing to fight about, Misty pondered. She didn't even really like shopping that much anyway. "I guess you're right" she agreed. "No use staying mad over something so stupid."

*

Meanwhile, Ash had taken the well-worn path to professor Oak's lab. He kicked a stone, watching it roll and tumble along. So what? It wasn't the first time Misty had been mad at him; ok, so this was a bit more serious, but still, she'd forgive him…right? He gazed forlornly back at his home, pondering what to do. He opened the door to Professor Oak's, and glumly told him he wanted to swap Bulbasaur for Charizard.

His reply to this was "Why the long face Ash?" "N-nothing…" he replied. "If you say so, though I'm sure there's something going on that's making you sad, even if you deny it." Oak replied in his gravelly voice. After Ash had received Charizard, he dashed out of the building as fast as he was capable of.

Calling the lizard out of its pokeball, he climbed on its back and it soared over the countryside. Flying was the one thing he loved to do. It was pure freedom. As Charizard soared, so did his spirits. Nothing could bring him down from the happiness he was experiencing now. Misty was, for a moment, all but forgotten. Nothing more than a mere memory.

Ash was jerked back to reality when a shrill, high voice pierced the air. "ASH, CAN I TALK TO YOU FOR A MOMENT?" The voice was almost drowned out by the whistling of the wind, though he had still heard it. He ignored the cry, and sailed on out of sight, the sun slowly sinking below the horizon. He didn't see the dejected figure below on the ground, walking towards his house with a heavy heart.

Misty was at the end of her rope. She had had it up to _here_ with Ash's childish antics. She had made the decision that broke her heart - to not be Ash's friend anymore. She wouldn't speak to him, look at him, acknowledge his presence. Ash, in her opinion, no longer existed.

*

Ash was in good spirits after his afternoon flying. He walked along with a spring in his step, and couldn't stop smiling. Life couldn't be any better. He opened the carved front door, yelled, "I'm home!" to anyone who would listen, and sprinted up the stairs. "Hey Misty!" He enthusiastically called. More loudly than he meant to. All of a sudden, he was shy as a mouse. Ash wanted to ask her something, and he didn't know what the answer would be. He opened the door, and rushed his words. "Misty, I… He stopped mid- sentence, as he saw the girl sitting on the floor, leaning against his bed, facing away from him. She didn't flinch. She didn't move. Misty was stock still. Ash walked towards the silent figure. Nothing. He knelt down in front of her and spoke in a gentle voice. "Misty?" "What's the matter?" She ignored him and turned her head away. This was going to be harder then she thought. Already she wanted to apologise to him for being so stubborn and rude. Her heart melted. But she wouldn't give in so easily. She wasn't going to let him win. Not after what he had done. It had been the last straw, and she would never forgive him for it.

She abruptly stood up and strode from the room. Striding to the walk-in-closet, Misty locked herself in. She briefly changed her mind, unlocked the door, grabbed her sleeping bag and pillow, and then rushed in to her secret haven again. All the while Ash just stared, dumbfounded at the floor. How could this have happened?

*

Ash _would_ make her come out of the wardrobe. All he needed was a decoy. But what? His eyes fell on the snoring figure of Togepi. He picked up the baby egg-thing and walked over to the closed door. "Misty?" He tapped on the solid wood. No answer. He banged louder. Still no reply. "Misty" he said, starting to panic. His voice quavered, he was worried. "You forgot Togepi… The door opened just the smallest sliver. An eye watched him. A hand reached out and snatched the crying figure from Ash. Then the door crashed shut with a sudden finality on his hand.

Ash doubled over in pain, clutching at his injured hand in agony. Fiery pain sliced through his fingers, and he slumped to the floor in a heap. Through the pain, he managed to mutter, "Misty…._why??" _

The answer reverberated with a cold voice. "It was what you deserved…"

*

And that's the end of chapter four. Stay tuned for chapter five. Thank you to all who have read and reviewed!

~Sapphire Espeon~


	5. Unexpected Arrival

**Unresolved Resentments**

**By ~Sapphire Espeon~**

----

_Author Note: This is my first attempt at fanfiction. Pokemon belongs to Satoshi Tajiri and Nintendo._

----

**Chapter 5**

**Unexpected Arrival**

Ash was blinded by the agonizing pain in his hand. Every slight movement sent an excruciating shockwave through it. A scream rose in his throat, he tried to ignore it, but it was too much for him. Tears streamed down his face, which was scrunched up in pain. A reverberating wail shook the house. No need to guess who from. He felt as if misty had ripped out his heart and thrown it away, like a piece of trash.

Misty remained in her wardrobe hideaway. The guilt she was feeling almost made her weep in remorse at what she had done. She wanted to leave her safe haven, comfort Ash and apologise about the whole incident. But he would never forgive her after this. Never. Why had she done this? It was always the same old thing. She made people hurt, and she made people hate. Hate her. What she had done to Ash she considered the worst of her doings. Misty had crushed any possible relationship the two might have had, whether it be friends, or more. A single tear rolled down her pale cheek, and fell to the floor. She hugged Togepi in her arms, praying she had not destroyed everything she lived for.

*

Delilah sat in the hospital waiting room, awaiting the x-ray results. With every minute, the tense atmosphere seemed to grow even more imminent. How had this happened? Ash was in too much shock to speak, and Misty was nowhere to be found. She hoped with all her might that this was just a terrible accident. But where was Misty? Was she somehow a part of this? Delilah couldn't bring herself to believe it. She had never known Misty to hurt a fly. Why would she turn on Ash, her friend, companion and confidante? They were as close as could possibly be. And then their friendship split apart with sudden finality.

Delilah was distracted from her thoughts as Ash walked out of the x-ray theatre with a swollen, bruised hand. She gasped in shock. Ash may have been a little, well, headstrong, but he never seemed to get a scratch. Until now. "Hi mum" Ash smiled weakly. Delilah just sat and stared, her eyes puffy and swollen from crying. The doctor who had been taking the x-rays came and stood next to Ash. "I'm afraid your son has a serious fracture on his right hand. It will need to be set in a cast for the next four to eight weeks." Ash stared at the floor. Up to eight weeks? What about his pokemon? The doctor answered his question. I'm afraid pokemon training is out of the question, young man. You will have to take it easy. That means no strenuous activities for a while. Sitting quietly at home and resting is the best medicine for you. Come on then, we'll go and put your hand in a cast and then you can go home."

*

Half an hour later, Delilah and Ash were sitting silently in the car on their way home. The traffic was crawling along at a snail's pace. "So Ash," Delilah spoke up. "what happened exactly? "I won't be mad." her tone was quiet and soothing. Ash said nothing. He couldn't even if he wanted to. He just couldn't. Then the tears came. They were unstoppable. Ash cried and cried, his sobs shaky and irregular. Delilah pulled over, and gave her son a big hug. "There, there sweetie, it's ok. Shhh, it's ok, it's ok." The tears slowed. You can tell me what happened when you're ready to. You just concentrate on getting better."

Ash managed a wobbly smile, and Delilah resumed driving. It took longer than expected, and the duo arrived home forty-five minutes later, just as the sun was fading from the sky. Ash shakily stood up, and trudged to his room. He lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling, lost in his thoughts. He didn't know what he felt toward Misty anymore. He found himself surprised that he didn't hate her for what she had done, but was still wary of her all the same. With that, he fell into a dreamless sleep, Pikachu curled up at his feet.

*

It was late, but Misty was not tired. She couldn't sleep because of the guilt that unnerved her. She was being inwardly eaten by the demons that invaded her conscience. The guilt was a slow painful killer. She regretted what she had done so much! If only she could have one more chance…she was scared she had lost him forever…

Opening the door of her wardrobe hideaway just enough so that she could see the room beyond, Misty watched Ash. He seemed…unsettled. He tossed and turned in his sleep, mumbling incomprehensible words as he did so. Misty closed the door with a soft click. The young boy woke up with a start. He could have sworn someone was watching him. He walked to the wardrobe, and with his good hand, opened the door. Misty pretended to be asleep, hoping against hope he wouldn't wake her. He whispered lightly to her. "Misty…." No response. This time, he made his voice audible. "Misty!"

She opened her eyes, and came face to face with Ash. She rubbed her eyes. "Can't this wait till morning?" she grumbled. "No" came the reply, gentle yet firm. "We have to talk now."

Misty stood up, and walked over to the chair in Ash's room. "What?" She knew that she was being a little harsh on him after what she had done, but she had reason to do so, at least from her point of view. Her eyes once again glistened with tears. "Oh Ash, I'm so sorry about what I did…it was wrong, I know, I was just mad and…she trailed off. A long, uncomfortable silence hung in the air, like a looming cloud.

"Look Misty, I know you didn't really mean to hurt me, but you did. I'm sure you're really sorry, but I'm just not sure that things can go back to the way there were before. I thought I might have had feelings for you, but now I really have no idea what I think. I'm…just not sure anymore." His face fell, and was shrouded by a downcast look.

Misty's reaction was expected by him. Shock, followed by horror and regret. The tears weaved a trail down her pale face, shining in the dusky moonlight. She looked up hopefully. "Can we still be friends? "You're…you're not going to make me leave are you?" She was afraid. There was no reason for her to stay here anymore, if Ash didn't want her here. What was the point of it?

"No Misty, I won't make you leave. This place is as much your home as Cerulean is, if not more. The only reason for you to leave is of your own accord. While I'm not really sure about this whole thing anymore…maybe it will work itself out over time. You can't expect me to forgive you for something like this overnight, you know. I'm sorry, but wounds, even those that you can't see, take time to heal. This is just one of them."

Misty's face fell, she wanted to hide the shame that she couldn't mask. "T-thank you" she whispered to nobody in particular. To herself, she made a solemn promise: _"I will make this work, no matter how long it will take me"._

_*_

The next day dawned; the sun smiling on Pallet Town, and the trees gleaming with newly adorned dewdrops. It was the kind of day that one could not help but enjoy, even the most unenthusiastic couch potatoes. Misty had awoken early, ready to greet the early morning. She was still forlorn because of last night's events, but she would not let that interfere with her life. She knew she would never break her personal promise.

Misty left Togepi with Delilah for the morning so the little tyke wouldn't distract her from her training. Tossing a scarlet and white pokeball to the sky, she called out her newly evolved Politoed. "Okay Politoad! Ready to train?" She asked the large frog. The only reply she received was a clapping of webbed feet, and the repetitive croak of Politoad's cry. "Poli-toad! Poli…poli!" She sweatdropped, and then remembered how it had evolved. Ash's king's rock. She knew that anything that reminded her of Ash would make her abandon her training and reminisce in the past. She had to keep to the present. Recalling Politoad, she called upon another pokemon. "Staryu!" She called with renewed enthusiasm. Since Misty had been Staryu's owner since the beginning of her pokemon training, there was no possibility that it would remind her of Ash.

The team spent the whole morning training in the glaring light, Staryu practicing its attacks and Misty cheering it on. By mid morning, her spirits were raised higher that they had been in a long time. She recalled Staryu, and then sat down under a tree to relax.

*

Ash paced about the house. After breakfast, he was lost in thought about what to do. Delilah had told him Misty had gone out to train her pokemon, and he didn't dare risk even the thought of facing her after what he had said. Not yet, anyway. The day outside called to Ash, but he was restricted to indoors; if he ventured outside, he would encounter Misty. And he wasn't ready to face her. Not just yet.

He turned on the tv and flipped through the channels. There wasn't anything on. He was so bored! To Ash, there was nothing worse than being cooped up inside. If he really wanted to…he _could _go outside. He'd…just pretend not to see Misty! Yeah, that's what he'd do! Ash grabbed his bag, stood up, and began to walk briskly to the door. He turned the knob, and stepped out into the fresh morning sunlight. He couldn't believe he had almost refused to go outside!

A few dozen metres away, Misty heard a door slam shut with finality. To her, this could not be a good sign. She was as worried as ever about Ash, and what she had done to him. Had she ruined her life? Or his? Was he afraid of getting hurt? She slinked behind a giant tree, and peered around its edge. _"Here he comes,"_ she thought.

Ash stood, basking in the glorious day, frolicking about with his electric companion, Pikachu. The heat drained his energy quickly. He leaned against a tree to think, and was soon lost in thought. The boy gazed at the lush green world surrounding him, and was surprised at his appreciation of it. He never really saw things this way before. It was like he had a whole new outlook on life.

Ash didn't know why, but the leaves and grass seemed greener, the sky a more majestic blue, and the atmosphere practically alive with electricity. Calling for his Pikachu to sit by his side, he lay down to doze, and heard a rustle behind him. His eyes snapped open, and he sat up, carefully listening for the source of the noise. He saw a single blue eye peering out from behind the old, weathered tree. Misty. He sighed. "Why do you have to always follow me everywhere?" He gazed back down at his buddy, Pikachu, and ruffled his soft yellow fur. The pokemon smiled gleefully.

"Well Ash" Misty huffed. "Why do you think _I_ would be following _you_ around? You have this_ all_ wrong! You were the one following _me_!" The duo continued to quarrel until the shadow of a familiar acquaintance fell upon them. "Well, would you look who it is" The form sneered pointedly at Ash. If it isn't Ash Ketchum, pokemon master. I've come to reclaim my prize…"

*

Well, there's chapter five finished. Stay tuned for chapter six. Thank you to all who have read and reviewed!

~Sapphire Espeon~


	6. Ominous Forebodings

**Unresolved Resentments**

**By ~Sapphire Espeon~**

----

_Author Note: This is my first attempt at fanfiction. Pokemon belongs to Satoshi Tajiri and Nintendo._

_----_

**Chapter 6**

**Ominous Forebodings**

Ash's Jaw dropped. He couldn't believe his eyes. It was …_him!_ His mind was struggling to come to terms with the sight. It just couldn't _be_! Ash closed his eyes and pinched himself, positive he was hallucinating. But when he reopened his chocolate brown eyes, the figure was still there. He glared at him, refusing to believe it. Of all the egotistical, annoying people in the world (besides Gary,) this was the one whom he least wanted to ever set eyes upon again.

Rudy.

He remembered battling on Trovita Island, confused and wary of this stranger who was treating Misty so nicely. Not long after they had left, he had figured out the awful truth. He wanted Misty for his bride. But to Misty he said nothing. He was sure she knew though. He thought that once he had left that strange, horrible island he would never have to face this annoying egoist again. Was he ever wrong.

The tall, brown haired figure ignored Ash and smiled sweetly down at Misty. "Misty! It's been such a long time! How are you?" Misty blushed slightly and stared at her feet. "Yeah, I'm ok" She muttered, too embarrassed to look at Rudy. Ash was boiling mad. His good hand clenched at his side. He was shaking with rage. "_She still fancies him, even after all this time!" _His normally shining eyes were narrowed in tiny slits. The hate he felt was unbearable.

*

Rudy ignored Ash's cold gaze. He moved his feet to imaginary music, as he gazed at Misty. But she would have none of this. While he was quite handsome, looks were nothing to her without a personality to complement it. She had made her promise to Ash, and she _would _keep it. Though she did have the fleeting thought that if she used the oldest trick in the book she could surely get Ash to come crawling back to her - she decided to use this trick: make him jealous.

Misty smiled fleetingly at Rudy, twirling her shining orange hair with her fingers and batting her eyelashes. She had lived with her sisters for twelve years, during this time learning some of their dating tactics (however for the most part they seemed rather ineffective, based on what she had observed of her siblings). They were tireless flirts, one boyfriend after the next came and left the house in quick succession. She looked at Rudy, seeing him redden slightly and smile back at her. Misty took his hand, and slowly, they strolled off into the sunset, leaving Ash gaping open-mouthed and shocked after them.

*

He was seeing red; a fierce, angry, crimson which made his stomach churn with hatred towards Rudy. How he absolutely despised him! He was an expert smooth-talker, most girls fell at his feet, begging him to go out with them. But he never in his life expected Misty to be one of them. How wrong he had been. How could Misty not see past his blatantly obvious facade? Ash had seen this type of man before: he was a walking, talking replica of Gary. Sure they looked nothing alike, but both had the same snooty, airhead attitude, and were overconfident and cocky. A tear trickled down Ash's face as he watched the seemingly unbelievable sight before him.

Ash collapsed onto the lush green grass, embarrassed and ashamed to face the world. He curled up in a ball on the ground, not caring about the jolting pain in his hand. This physical pain could never outweigh the emotional agony he was enduring. He sat there for hours and hours, not caring about anything but Misty.

Ash could not believe that he had said he didn't know whether or not he had feelings for her. He had for a long time, and always would. He would never have eyes for anyone else. He had been such a fool, such an _idiot_ to think he ever believed anything else but the truth. Ash didn't want to live his life as one big lie.

*

Misty had lost all control over her plan to use Rudy as her decoy. As soon as she had taken his hand, he had dragged her up the street to the fancy French restaurant, where he had treated her like a princess all the way through dinner. Misty, as stated before, was not usually one to fall for this type of guy, but she quickly became enchanted under the spell of his good looks and charm. She blushed, giggled and agreed with everything he said.

*

Rudy was obviously pleased with how easily Misty had warmed to this unexpected meeting. Something tugged at the edge of her mind, but she was having too much fun to bother remembering what it was. When the music had started, and the couples had started to gather and sway to the music, he dragged her towards the wooden dance floor, leaving her to stand at the sidelines while he made an idiot of himself by dancing pathetically in the centre of the crowd.

Many titters and giggles escaped from the onlookers. Misty wanted to slink away unnoticed, into the night, back to the Ketchum residence, but Rudy grabbed her wrist and started to slow dance with her, just as a slow song came on the speakers. His hands wandered inappropriately. Misty's anger flared. She promptly slapped Rudy in the face, and told him. " You sleaze, how dare you! I can't believe you have the _gall_ to come here, you slimeball! You could never compare to Ash in a million years!"

*

Delilah sat at the table in the kitchen. The house was oddly silent, the only sound her insistent tapping on the laminated tabletop. Where was Misty? This was the second time she had disappeared in two days. Ash was curled up asleep; she was convinced of this, because she could hear soft snoring coming from his room. She had tried her hardest to set up her son and Misty, but it had all failed miserably. Thus, Delilah had decided not to interfere anymore, and let them work it out between themselves. But that wasn't working either. Ash was just too stubborn, and didn't realize the impact that his actions had on those around him. She came to the conclusion that if she stayed out of the midst of it that it would all be for the best, for she knew that she was not in control of Ash's destiny, only he could make his own path in life.

*

Ash lay in his warm, cozy bed. He was pretty good at feigning sleep. Pretending to snore had worked like a charm. However, there way no way he would be able to sleep tonight. No way on this pokemon-filled earth. So much was troubling him, and at the back of his mind was the strange, surreal dream he had but a few nights ago. He was absolutely sure that it was not something that could happen in the future, because Misty had just up and left with Rudy, and all but left him behind, totally forgotten about.

Hearing a click at the door, he immediately closed his eyes, not wanting his mum to annoy him again. But no voice came. In fact, it was too quiet.. He slowly opened one eye and came face to face with Misty. "So what's your next plan to torment me going to be?" he spoke with a frown on his face, and refused to meet her eyes. She sat down on the foot of Ash's bed, her eyes sad and regretful.

"It was awful…and it was, again, all my fault. Rudy dragged me to this nice restaurant, and we had a nice dinner, and all was going well, until he decided to pull me towards the dance floor. He pulled me over to slow dance with him, and then he…he…" Misty's eyes welled with tears. "His… his h-hands wandered to places they shouldn't have. And then I slapped him, s-stepped on his foot and ran out. I never w-wanted to even be going out with him…I…just thought that if..I..w-went out with him it'd make you..well you know…."

"Jealous?" Ash offered, his eyes full rage over what Rudy had done to his close friend. His words came out a low growl. "If he ever…._ever _tries to hurt you again, I'm going to set Charizard on him and make him pay!"

*

Good thing his mother was a sound sleeper. He changed the topic. You thought that by pretending to like him I would be _jealous_?" His eyes burned into hers with intensity. "Well, yes" replied Misty, biting her fingernails. But I didn't mean for it to turn out like this..I didn't want to dance with him…that's what made me remember about who he really was. I got caught up in his spell, until he showed his true colours." Ash scowled fiercely at this comment. "I didn't want to dance with him…" Misty mumbled. "I wanted my first dance to be with…you. I'm sorry Ash, I never meant for things to get so out of hand." Before she could break into tears again, she fled the room.

Ash's feelings were in turmoil. He hated Rudy more than anything else in this world, and could not believe that a person was capable of such inexcusable things. Yet, on the other hand, his heart still churned over Misty's actions. He had been sure that she would not stoop to such petty tactics as creating jealousy.

Ash sat up in his bed, agape at the sudden events that had just occurred. He knew Misty cared, but not to such an extent about him. He knew he had to resolve this, but his thoughts and emotions were so mixed. Lying back, he pondered the events that had occurred so quickly that the memories formed a blur.

Finding Misty again…returning home….his injured hand…..the dream…Rudy. He wanted to be there for her, even if his feelings were slightly mixed. She was his friend after all. And he did care about her. Ash knew that Misty's nature was pure and innocent, she was not the type of person to manipulate. Suspecting there to be outside influences at play, Ash filed the thought away, he would ask her about it when he got the chance.

Ash knew he had to find Misty. He slowly got up, and silently opened the door to the bathroom. Ash thought he saw a faint silhouette huddled against the wall. He progressively reached up to turn on the light, but paused slightly when he heard an almost silent sob from the corner…

*

And that's the end of chapter six. Stay tuned for chapter seven. Thank you to all who have read and reviewed!

~Sapphire Espeon~


	7. Resolve

**Unresolved Resentments**

**By ~Sapphire Espeon~**

----

_Author Note: This is my first attempt at fanfiction. Pokemon belongs to Satoshi Tajiri and Nintendo._

_This chapter has undergone a massive overhaul. I hope you enjoy the new and (hopefully) improved version. Now with 33% more content!_

_----_

**Chapter 7**

**Resolve**

_In the last chapter…_

_He progressively reached up to turn on the light, but paused slightly when he heard the almost silent sob from the corner…_

_*_

Against the wall, a figure was cowering. The form seemed to be shrinking into itself, attempting to disappear from the room. The ginger tresses that sat atop her head fell in soft waves around her pallid face. Her eyes were large and shimmering, with tears that were yet to fall. Ash stepped tentatively towards her, and crouched on his knees so that he was at eye-level to Misty, the lingering silence was louder than sound.

Her voice quavered she spoke in a soft, fearful voice. "What if he comes back? What if he won't leave me alone? What if he does smething like _that_ again?" Still huddled against the wall, grateful for its stability, she was too emotionally weary to say more. Ash was her friend…she knew that much at least…even if he didn't love her, he was genuinely concerned.

"Misty, I'm not going to just leave you here like this, you of all people should know that." A lone tear fell across her cheek. His hand lightly grazed her face, wiping it away. Still she embraced the silence, ignoring Ash's plea. He knew now was the time to clear the air.

Ash's heart pounded in anticipation and nervousness. He stared down at the floor, then, deciding that wasn't the ideal thing to do, forced himself to look directly into Misty's sea-blue eyes. He knew it would not be easy, but it ended up being a more arduous task than anticipated. As soon as he did, he wanted to bolt out of the room as fast as humanly possible and never look at the pain he saw opposite him ever again.

Misty's mind was in turmoil. She could not believe that Ash was acting in such a caring way towards her. She was truly terrified of Rudy returning to wreak further havoc, and made this apparent to Ash. Though, despite it all, she found more pressing thoughts jumping to the forefront of her mind. She knew Ash would protect her, he was an extremely loyal friend. He was the type of person who would risk his life for those he cared about without a second thought. Delilah, Brock, her…

She had been receiving strange signals from Ash. Being so attuned to how he acted and his emotions, she was able to sense when something was amiss. And she was sensing it now. Misty knew it had to be Ash who set things in Motion. She had loved him for some time, and knew that he had, either no feelings for her, or had not come to terms with them. Raising the topic would only force him to consider things he wasn't emotionally ready for.

*

Ash opened his mouth, attempting to form a sentence. "I.." He faltered. Trying again, he was able to speak in a clearer tone this time, able to say what he had held in for a long time, much longer than he had expected to. "Misty, I never wanted you to be hurt. I know lately everything seems have been turned on its head, but I didn't mean to make you sad….I was too afraid to tell you anything because I thought you might not have wanted to hear it. So I just kept quiet."

Misty raised an eyebrow in confusion. Her eyes were clear now, although her face was still blotchy from the tears. "Ash, just say what you intend to say." She never took her eyes off his.

Ash was stalling for precious seconds, closing his eyes momentarily. _Say it aleady! You don't want to wreck everything again do you? Or maybe Misty isn't your soulmate…. _His eyes flew open. She WAS, and he wasn't going to let the doubts in his mind tell him otherwise. He knew the truth, and he was going to tell it to her.

Misty was starting to show signs of impatience. She tapped her fingers on the table which stood next to her, and her foot was falling asleep from sitting this way for so long. Ash looked like he was about to say something important. So she focused her attention on him, fully and completely.

Ash took a deep breath and forced the words out. "Misty…I really do like you…" The floor suddenly seemed to be the most fascinating thing in the world. Looking at her was not an option. He just wished that she would show a response, anything at all. He was beyond caring whether it was a good or a bad reaction; he wanted her to show some sign that she had comprehended what he had said. And she did. Subtly at first, staring in disbelief. Had she just heard the words she had been craving for so long? She had. And it shocked her more than anything else. Her smile was so broad, there was no wiping it off her face. She was ecstatic! She pinched herself, ascertaining that this was no dream.

Ash's words were greeted with…a smile? For a moment there he had been worried that he had imagined what she had said earlier, thinking he had misinterpreted her reaction. But he hadn't. The glee and happiness radiating from Misty's face left him lost for words. He took her in his arms and hugged her tight, never wanting to let her go. He was slightly embarrassed, but his eyes were aglow with happiness.

*

The next morning at breakfast, Delilah noticed a change in the demeanour of the two children, who were seemingly growing up right before her eyes. In her eyes, it seemed like only yesterday Ash was a child. For Delilah, nothing ever seemed to change. Ash would always be her little boy. But he was old enough not to be mothered anymore. Words between the two had been exchanged, she knew that much. They must have been of significance, because Misty was gazing into oblivion, and Ash was observing his cereal intently.

Pikachu bounded into the sunny room, expected to be greeted with a response. But there was none. Even Delilah was caught up in her own little world. The kitchen lit up with a yellow glow and the fried trio hastily muttered a brief good morning to the yellow creature.

Outside, Ash and Misty slowly strolled through the paddock that the Ketchum residence overlooked. The silence in the air was heavy and awkward, and both knew the only way to break it was to speak. "Ash?" She whispered, "Where do we stand?" The anger and pain I felt when we were fighting was bad, but this silence is so much worse…" Ash shrugged. He wished he had the words, but alas they were escaping him. If only he could have pulled them from thin air! He looked back to Misty for an answer, hoping she would have one. But she did not. He had to gather up his courage again and find words that made sense, not only to himself, but to her as well. "Misty, this isn't really easy for me to put into words, but as I said before, I do really like you, and if I didn't, then, well, I wouldn't have said anything. I like being with you, and I know that sounds lame, corny, whatever you want to call it, but that's the truth. Being with you makes me happy." He took a deep breath and filled his lungs with air. After a moment's hesitation, he gently took her hand in his.

Both thought it was just right. So right.

But Misty had other things to worry about. He had said he _liked_ her, sure, but he didn't _love _her. And the more she thought about it, the more of a difference she saw between the two. Like. Lust. Love. Which one? The one thing that Misty hated more than the awkward silences was not knowing what he really felt. He could love her, but be too afraid to say so, or he could just genuinely _like_ like her. To her, either one was a blessing. But she didn't want Ash to like her, she wanted him to _love _her, just as she did him.

Ash was confused. He had no idea how to tell her, or how she would take those words. So he kept silent. Misty, on the other hand was not going to let this go without a fight. "Ash…" she whispered, "I..I don't like you." Ash's jaw dropped. He was _not_ hearing this. "Why didn't you say so?" The sadness was apparent in his eyes. "Why Misty? You just don't do things like that! You made me believe that you liked me, and now you're saying that you don't?" An expression of pain was evident on his face. "Ash, you didn't let me finish what I was saying!" Misty exclaimed. But Ash was reluctant to listen. If she didn't like him, then what was the point of listening to her words if they were just going to bring him anguish? "Ash, listen!" Misty lowered her voice to a whisper that was barely audible. "I love you…" She faltered. "You do?" was the astonished reply. She nodded to confirm her words. "Me too!" Ash said, jumping up and down with delight. "I mean..I love you too Misty." And he smiled back.

He leaned in towards her, the uncertainty rising again. He closed his eyes and hoped for the best.

Misty had been thinking about this day for years. She finally couldn't believe it was happening. Her first kiss. It was perfect, just as she had imagined it to be. She could tell he was nervous, but the moment his lips brushed against hers, she thought that nothing could have felt more right. Nothing. Slowly she broke away and opened her eyes, still caught up in the moment, breathless. She tried to preserve this moment in her memory, although she knew she would not forget such a thing so easily. Ash looked a bit stunned, yet the blush was still evident on his face. And he was still smiling.

Misty smiled to herself. It was true. Everything had worked out in the end, just as she had hoped it would. _Life is good, _she thought._ Actually no, it's was more than that. Life is perfect. Except…_

Ash beat her to it. "Don't worry, leave Rudy to me."

_*_

Ash had a strong hunch Rudy had not yet left Pallet, however, no proof to support it. He had been searching for several hours. Pallet may have been a small town, but even the smallest community held a number of places one could reside. Marching doggedly down the road near Professor Oak's, he locked eyes on his target. "You!" Ash exclaimed, sprinting towards the tall young man. "I can't believe you have the gall to remain in Pallet after what you did to Misty!"

Rudy laughed lazily. "I have relatives in Pallet, Ash. I'm Gary Oak's cousin, and have been invited to stay with his family for as long as I wish. And let me inform you, I have no intention of leaving, and every intention of pursuing a certain pretty girl." The threat in his words hit Ash hard. "You will battle me" Ash growled in a low voice. _When_ you lose, you will leave Misty alone forever. and never return here to Pallet Town. Got it?"

Rudy smirked. "And if I win?"

Ash glowered. "I will forfeit any further Gym challenges and pokemon league competitions". Rudy appeared satisfied. "Very well then" he drawled. "We will battle. One pokemon each. No time limit."

*

The wind whistled through the emerald field. Ash stood grimly, facing the overconfident _jerk_ who had hurt his Misty. He would _pay._

Ash reached for a pokeball at his belt. "Go, Grotle!" he yelled. The leaf-laden pokemon bellowed out its battle cry. Rudy pulled out an identical pokeball. A Cradily appeared, also voicing its intent to battle.

Rudy set the battle into motion. "Cradily, ancientpower!" He commanded, and the tentacled monster sprung into action. Grotle didn't have time to react, as boulders rained around it, draining HP.

Ash retaliated. "Grotle, crunch attack!" The leaf-laden creature hurtled forward with unnatural speed, clamping its jaws down upon Cradilly's neck; causing deep scratches to the creature. It looked a little unsteady.

Rudy shouted to Cradily "You can do it Cradily! You have to defend my honour! If you can't do that you're not worth having as a pokemon - use your energy ball attack!" _This guy is twisted,_ thought Ash grimly, as a massive ball of dark and electric energy sped towards Grotle. The poor monster bore the full brunt of the attack, and was knocked to its knees.

Grotle was in obvious pain. Ash quickly took action. "Grotle, hang in there! Use synthesis, and then your leaf storm attack!" The wounded pokemon shimmered for a moment, quickly reversing the majority of damage it had incurred. Then, a cyclone of leaves pelted down on Cradily, who was being driven into the ground by the impact.

"Use your wring out attack!" Rudy demanded of the poor creature, which was all but immobilsed. Cradily attempted weakly to stand and launch the attack, barely conscious. Ash knew it was time to finish this. "Grotle, Giga drain!" The remaining HP was drained from Cradily, who fainted in a heap.

Rusy stood, gaping, for he was not used to losing. He kicked the unconscious pokemon, cursing its weakness. He then turned to Ash, obviously seething. Fine Ash. I'll leave you and your _precious_ Misty alone. She's not my type anyway." Ash suspected by that he meant that she was a girl who stood her ground and didn't bow like a puppet to his whims.

*

Ash bounded back to his home, where Misty was frolicking around with her newly acquired Marril. She laughed with glee as it fired a water gun 10 metres into the air, the water raining down upon both of them. Seeing Ash, she turned to him, a warm expression on her face. "It's been a while stranger" she said, smiling. Where did you wander off to?" Ash bowed his head. "To settle a score" he replied. I challenged Rudy to a battle. He agreed if he lost he would leave you alone and never return to Pallet." Misty looked stunned. "And what of you Ash? What did you wager?" "I would have stopped taking gym challenges and subsequently my eligibility to compete in the pokemon league". He stated simply.

Misty's eyes were wide. "And…the outcome of the battle?" Ash stared back intently. "I won. Rudy will not bother you again. It was sad to see how he treated his pokemon…he kicked it after it had fainted and just left it there. He held up a pokeball. "Obviously I couldn't leave it behind. I thought that I would ask when it has recovered if it wanted to join my team, and if not, set it free."

Misty walked up to Ash with admiration in her eyes, and put her arms around him. "Thank you Ash. For everything."

_The scene faded out, as two teenagers shyly let their lips meet in a gentle kiss. __The breeze spoke two silent words, that only the couple could hear:_

_Soulmates forever…_

_*_

_I would like to say a huge thank you to all who have taken the time to read 'Unresolved Resentments'. I would love to hear your thoughts, so don't hesitate to submit a review!_

~Sapphire Espeon~


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